Ensilage loading apparatus



June 21, 1960 '0. DE MURREL CRUMP 2,941,843

ENSILAGE LOADING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 5, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.Owen DeMurrel C'rump.

June 21, 1960 0. DE MURREL CRUMP 2,941,843

ENSILAGE LOADING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 5, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.Owen DeMurre/ C rump June 21, 1960 0. DE MURREL CRUMP BNSILAGEI LOADINGAPPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 5, 1959 INVENTOR. Owen DeMurrelCrum o. BY

ATTORNEYS.

June 21, 1960 0. DE MURREL CRUMP 2,941,843

ENSILAGE LOADING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 5, 1959 INVENTOR.Owen DeMurreZ Crump- ENsrLAon LoAmNo APPARATUS Owen De Murrel Crump,501-11 S. Kansas Ave.,

Olathe, Kans.

Filed Jan. 5, 1959, Ser- No. 784,954

6 Claims. (Cl. Brill-=56) This invention relates to an apparatus forloading ensilage, and more particularly to a device for picking upensilage from a trench or the like and transferring it to a truck fortransportation to a place of use.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a mobiledevice operable from the power take-ofi of a. tractor which may be movedto the ensilage pit or trench and the pan or apron of the augerapparatus lowered to the ground and the digger assembly lowered tocontact the ensilage and move it into the pan Where the auger picks itup and passes it to a blower which transports the ensilage through atubular chute to the truck.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a frameworkmounted on wheels for transportation of the apparatus; to provide meansfor mounting the auger and pan on the lower portion of the frame; toprovide a boom member for the digger assembly mounted on the upper endof the frame; to provide side plates or members for the auger mechanismand one of which extends upwardly alongside of the frame; to providemeans for mounting a jack shaft in the upper end of the plate and ahousing secured to the plate for housing sprockets on the shaftconnected with the sprockets on the shaft of the auger; to provide aplate on the opposite side of the frame for mounting one end of the jackshaft; to provide the boom member with sprockets cooperating with thesprockets on the shaft at the upper end of the housings of the augermechanism and having chain connection therewith; to provide means formounting the digger assembly on said boom; to provide hyraulic meansconnected to the digger assembly on said boom for raising and loweringthe digger assembly by the boom; to provide a blower for carrying theensilage through a spout to the truck; to provide a main drive shaftincluding chains and sprockets carried by the frame for driving theblower and having belt connection with pulleys on the jack shaft andmeans on the boom member for operating the auger mechanism and diggerassembly; to provide clutch means operable from the tractor for the maindrive means; to provide hydraulic means operable from the tractor foroperating the hydraulic mechanism, including the cylinder for raisingand lowering the boom with the digger assembly; to provide the anger inthe pan or apron with oppositely directed helical blades to carry theensilage to the center of the auger; to provide radially extendingblades or fins on the anger at substantially the center thereof forfeeding the ensilage to the blower; to provide means for raising andlowering the pan or apron on the frame with respect to the ground, andparticularly to lower the pan to the surface of the ground or. floorwhere the ensilage is kept to take the load from the wheels of themobile vehicle; to provide an endless chain and slat assembly for thedigger portion of the device, and means for driving the same; to providemeans for tightening the chains on the boom and digger assemblymechanism; and to provide a device of this character simple andeconomical to manufacture.

- In accomplishing these and'otherobjects of the invenatent "ice tion Ihave provided improved details of structure, the preferred forms ofwhich are shown in the accompanying ly illustrating the blower andpanarrangement shown in traveling position.

Fig. 4 is a' cross-sectional fragmentary view showing the diggerassembly in lowered position with respect to th apron and auger andblower assembly.

Fig; 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on a line 5+5,

Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a transverse crosssectional view particularly illustrating thepump and control therefor and fragmentary portion of the clutch controlfor operating the auger and digger assembly taken on a line 6'6, Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on a line 77, Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of a slat particularlyillustrating the shape and position of the knives thereon.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

1 designates a loader embodying the improvements of my invention shownattached to a tractor or the like 2 alongside of a truck or wagon 3having a box 4. The device is attached to the tractor by a hitch 5 to aconnec tion 6 to the frame '7 of the loading device. The loader isoperated from the power take-off 8 of the tractor through universalconnections 9, as will later be described.

The frame 7 includes side rails 10 and 11 connccted'by crossbars 12(Fig. 7). The side members it? and 11 are of H-beam type, and the Webbedportions 13 are provided with aligned openings 14 for receiving atubular member 15 welded or otherwise suitably secured to the I-beams,as indicated in Fig. 6, and operable in said tubular member is a rod 16having threaded bores for receiving threaded bolts 17 and 18 forsecuring thereto arms 19 and 20 on one end of which are mounted shortaxles 2i and 22 for wheels 23 and 24 for transporting the loader fromplace to place. A jack 25 is provided for raising and lowering the framewith respect to the ground and consists of a telescoping portion 2 6 anda rod 27 having one end secured to a bracket 28 on the side member iiiof the frame. The telescoping member 26 has ears 29 to which ispivotally mounted by a pin 30 a bracket arm 31 having its other endrigidly secured as at 32 to the free end of the and 35 having theirlower ends rigidly secured to the.

cross member 36 on the side members 10 and 11 sub stantially slightlyforwardly of the wheels 23 and 24, as illustrated in Fig. 2, and mountedbetween their ends are spaced crossbars 37 and 38 for bracing theuprights.

Mounted to the upper ends of the posts 34 and 35 by bolts or the like 39is a tubular cross member 40 secured in short halfcircular sleeves 41and 42. Sleeved over the tubular member 40 between the half-circularsleeves 41 and 42 is a tubular sleeve 43 and rotatable on the tube 40,as will later be referred to. Cross braces 44 and 45 have their upperends secured to the half sleeves 41-and 42. and their lower ends securedto the frame;

3 asindicated at-46 and47 to further stabilize the structure.

Mounted on the rear endof the frame 7 are spaced uprights 59 andforwardly thereof are spaced uprights 51 and-52. Mounted. ontheuprights.are bearings 52 and 53 for'accommod-ating a drive: shaft. 54.;connected;

to the universal shaft 55 leading to the power take-off of thetractor-(Fig. 1). 'Iheshaftz'adextends forwardly of the upright 51 andhasasprocket. 56: mounted thereon. Below the bearing 53 is abearingSTfora-shaft58:11am ing a sprocket 59:thereon.aligningwith thesprocket 56 for accommodating a chain 60.

Mounted on the frame betweenthe uprights, 34and 35 J is-a blowerhousing: 61 for-a fan having the usualblades or thelike 62. The shaft 58extends-into the blowerhoueing through a bearing 63 on the fan housingandis connected to the blower fan as: indicated at 64 (Fig. 4).

Connected to one side at-the top of the blower housingis a blower chute65. Attached to the upper end of the,

main-blower chute 65' is: an extensionchute 66 which is adjustablethereon by a ratchet bolt or the like 67 to vary the direction of thechute tosuit the convenience of the user asto where he desires theensilage. tobe.-

placed. The blower chute 66 is here illustrated to be sectional andincludes bracing as indicated at 68. It also includes: an end member 69for further directing the ensilage to the desired spot and iscontrolled'from the operator of-the tractor byline 7% .(Fig. 1).

71 designatesa pan or. apron for an anger 72 mounted;

in side plates 73 and 74. The auger pan is boltedto the blower housingby aplurality of bolts as indicated at 75 and76 and the side plate 73 iselongated and extends upwardly alongside ofthe upright 34 of the frameandv is secured to the frame by bolts or the like, as indicated at 77.(Fig. 2). Mounted in the-upper end of the side plate 73 is atransversejack shaft 78 extending behind theuprights 34 and SSthrough aside member 79-of a housing 30 on upright 35. Mounted on each end ofjack shaft 78 and adjacent the side members 73 and 79 on the outsidethereof are sprockets 31 and 82. The side.

plates 73 and 74 at the ends of the pan are. provided with bearings (notshown) fora shaft 83 for the auger, which also extends outwardly fromtheside plate 73, and

mounted thereon is.a lower sprocket 84 aligning. with the sprocket 31for: a chain 85 for operating..-the auger, as will later be described;

-Mounted on the jack shaft 73- at substantially. the

center of the frame-are-spaced pulleys 86 and 87; and

a; rod or link 96 having a loose connection as at 97 withan operatingrod 98 with one end thereof rotatably supported in a bracket 99 andaniextension of upright 50, asindicated at'ltltlll fig. 2), and'onto thetractor for: operation therefrom; asindicated at 1G1 (Fig. l). Mountedon the shaft'58' near the sprocket 59 is a pulley.

162 over which is run an endless belt 103 which. has its separatelinesrunningover pulleys 86 and 87 and around the clutchpuiley 94 whereby-thebelt may be loosened or-tightened by operation of the rod 98 to controlrotationof jack shaft'78, aswill later be further referred'to.

A hydraulic power unit 104 'is mounted on the main frame, as illustratedin-Fig. 6, and includesa pump-105 and reservoir: 106:. for hydraulicfluid for operating a cylinder 107- for raising. and: lowering a diggerassembly.

n t; c gna edz nerallyt at;1tl8. The pump includesa haftz 9:. h ri s;;pu1ley ilthaligning withta pulley; 111-,

mounted on the shaft 58 of the mechanism having driving connectionthrough a belt 11.1'. The power unit includes hydraulic fluid lines112and 113 leading to the cylinder 107, as illustrated in Fig. 1. The powerunit includes a valve 114 having a plunger 115 which engages one end 116of a lever arm 117. The lever arm is pivotally connected as at 118 atthe center thereof to an extension 119 on pump 105. The other end ispivotally attached as at 120 to one end of a link 121 extendingtransversely across the frame and having its other end 122 looselyconnected to an arm 123 rigidly secured to a rod 124. The rod 124 hasone end supported in a sleeve 125 on blowenhousingfil and extends.through the bracket 100 on upright 50 to the tractor for operationtherefrom as indicated at 126. throughiaa handle 127 for a purpose laterdescribed.

The digger assembly 108 is attached to the tube 43 by a boom arrangementcomprising arms 130 and 131 spaced on theboom tube- 43 and having braces1'32 and 133secured= thereto by-welding. or; the like; The outer or freeends-.of the arms are turned toaparallel relation as indicated at 134,anda crossbar 135 is-rigidly secured between the arms; Theouter endsofthe arms 13%.and 131 are connected by a cross member 136. Spacedinwardly fromthe ends ofzthe arms..13tl.'andt131. are substantiallyV-shaped.arms 137 and.138;.the-upperpart-angling. downwardlyand thelower part thereofrexatendinghorizontally when in a ground.engaging.=posi-.- tion as indicated at 139 (Fig. 4). Thearms' 130 and;131 and 137 and 138'form. a complete. boom=forthe digger assembly.

Secured to the arms 13? and 133 by bolts 3.40. are. uprights 141 andlZfor. supporting spaced guides or. trackways143 and 144. The uprights 141and M2. are provided with slots145 through which the bolts 14% ex: tendto adjust the trackways 143 audited. for ILJPUZPOSE" later described.Secured to the outside of the. arm sec-- tions 1% and 147 of arms 13721111111331 by bolts idfiare angle-shaped brackets 1'49. and 15.6 formounting lower. trackways or guides 151 and 152. The. brackets have.-slots.153 (Fig.5) through whichthe. shanksof the; bolts: 148 extend toadjust the lower trackways for a. purpose; also laterdescribed. Spacedfrom the ends of thearms 130 and, 131 are bearings 154 and 155. forashaft 156. upon which are mounted spaced sprockets 157'and 158.. Alarger sprocket 159 is also mounted on.shaft.156be-., tweensprocketlfitt and: arm 131 asshown in Fig. 5: At substantially thejoinder between the l-shapediarms :137. and 138 in the portions 146 and147 isashaftidtkhav ingpulleys .161 and;12. in alignment with theysprockets: 157'and-158, and pulleys loi and 162, and mounted-in. theouter ends ofthe arm portions 1% audit?! is a: shaft 163 upon which aremounted pulleys 16 i 2111:1165. It will be obvious that the arms 137 and13S and the. trackways 143, 144, 151. and 152 form a substantiallytriangulararrangement provided by'the sprocketsand pulleys justabovereferred to and adapted torun over they sprockets are endless chains 16dand 1675havinga1 plurality of slats-168 extending. thereb'etween withtheir; cndsextending beyond the chains and riding: on the trackways14-3; 144,151 and 152. The slats OIECIOSS-i bars-.168 are: angle. shapedand includev downwardlysand sidewardly extending spaced knives. 169.and. 169- for: digging into the ensilage. The knives are securedasibyawelding or the'like 168. to angle portion of the slats 168. (Fig. 8).The knives169are curved -.toward thea auger 72,-on all theislats and.the knives 169' ononeslat are-curved laterally in one direction withrespect-tothc: knives 169, and on the next adjacent slat the knives 169"are. curved inthe opposite. direction (Fig. 1) to insure digging andcutting andmovement of. the ensilageto the auger;

Mountedin the end 170. of the tube40 and-extending; outwardly from the.upright 35 15.3.,81101'15hfift17151113011; which..aremoun edspace .sprokets; 72.'and;.173i. The

sprocket 172 aligns with the sprocket 82 on the shaft 78 so that whenthe shaft '78 is rotated through the main drive shaft 58 and beltconnection over pulleys 102, 86, 87 and 94 the short shaft 171 will alsorotate through a chain 174 running over said sprockets 82 and 172 andthus rotate sprocket 173.

The sprocket 173 has a chm'n 175 running thereover and engages sprocket159 mounted on the shaft 156 inside of the arm 131, as illustrated inFigs. 1 and 5, so that when the shaft 78 and short shaft 171 areoperated the chain 175 will drive the shaft 156 to drive the endlesschains 166 and 167 to operate the digger assembly for moving theensilage into the pan 71.

To regulate the tension of the chains 166 and 167 the bolts 140 and 148are loosened and the trackways, engaged by the slats 168 on said chains,adjusted accordingly. The tightening of the chains 85 and 175 may beaccomplished by arms 176 and 177, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4 as is theusual practice. A housing 178 is secured to the side plate '73 for theapron of the auger housing to cover the sprockets 81 and 84 and chain 85which drives the auger 72. A housing 179 is also provided for the chain175.

In operation of a device assembled and constructed as described theloader is hooked up to the tractor through the hitch 5 and the universalpower shaft 55 connected to the power take-off 8 of the tractor. Use ofthe ad- I justing jack 25 is utilized for adjustment of the height ofthe vehicle to bring the hitch to desired height for attaching to thetractor draw bar 180. The loader is then backed into the ensilage pit(not shown) and the frame lowered by the jack 25 so that the apron 71will rest on the ground and take some of the weight off of the wheels.

The apron is backed into the ensilage in device is ready for use. Byoperation of the shaft 54 through the universal shaft 55 from the powertake-off of the tractor and chain connection 60 over the sprockets 56and'59 the main shaft 58 is rotated for operation of the blower. Theshaft 58 also operates the pulley 102 thereon having belt connectionwith pulleys 86 and 87 and clutch pulley 954 for rotation of thejackshaft 78 for rotation of the sprockets 81 and the pit and the 84 throughchain 85 for rotation of the auger 72 in the apron '71.

The digger assembly 108 being attached to the tubular member 43 androtatable in a swinging vertical movement is operable through thehydraulic cylinder 167 having a piston rod 181 with its free endpivotally attached, as indicated at 182, to an arm 183 rigidly securedto the inside of the arm 131. Rotation of the rod 124 will operate thevalve 114 for controlling fluid from the power unit through lines 112and 113 to the cylinder 1137. The lower end of the cylinder is pivotallyattached to the frame of the vehicle and the digging element may beswung to lowered working position as shown in Fig. 4, and the diggingelement controlled by use of the control handle 127 for tightening ofbelt 193 through pulley 9 1, as previously referred to. When the diggingelement is in lowered position the chain 175 will rotate the shaft 156through the sprocket connection therewith and rotate the endless chainsand slat members 168 torotate the same in an anti-clockwise direction tocause the digging elements 169 to move the ensilage into the apron pan71 where the auger blades 184 and 185 move the ensilage to the centerthereof, and the blades 186 pick the ensilage up and move it in aclockwise direction so that it will move upwardly to the opening 187 inthe forward face of the blower housing 61 where the suction of theblower will pull it into the blower and then push it through the blowerand then push it through the blower tube 65 to the spout extension 66and to the box of the vehicle for transporting the ensilage to the placeof use.

It will be obvious, of course, that as the digging ele ment moves theensilage into the apron the device may be moved toward the ensilage bythe tractor to keep the digging element working in the ensilage when ithas reached the bottom thereof in one position.

It will further be obvious that I have provided an improved loader forensilage whereby the structure is exceedingly mobileand may be used inopen trench or other places where material such as ensilage isdeposited.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for picking up ensilage from an open trench or the likeoperable from the power take-off of a tractor comprising, a mobile framehaving spaced standards thereon, a blower housing having an opening inthe front side carried by the frame, a spout connected to said blowerhousing, a pan having a bottom and an open front, a shaft in said pan,an auger mounted on said shaft, said auger having longitudinal finspassing closely to said opening in the blower housing when the anger isrotated and having oppositely facing spiral blades thereon to direct theensilage to said fins, said augbr pan having side plates, one of saidplates extending upwardly alongside one of said uprights, a bracketcarried by the frame opposite said plate, a jack shaft carried by theupper end of said plate and said bracket, one end thereof extendingoutwardly from one side of said plate, a sprocket on said end of saidshaft, a sprocket on the auger shaft aligning with said firstnamedsprocket, a chain running over said sprockets, a short shaft on saidbracket, a sprocket on said short shaft, a tubular member rotatablymounted on the upper ends of said uprights, a boom frame having sidearms attached to said tubular member, a digger element rigidly attachedto said arms, a rotatable shaft carried by said arms near the outer endsthereof, a sprocket on one end of said shaft, said digger elementincluding chains and slats secured thereto having spaced teeth, a maindrive shaft carried'by the frame extending into said blower housing, afan on said end of said shaft, a shaft on said frame having drivingconnection with the tractor, means on said jack shaft having connectionwith the last-named shaft for rotating said jack shaft for rotating saidauger, a shaft on one outer end of the tubular member, spaced sprocketson said last-named shaft, a chain operable over one of said last-namedsprockets and the sprocket on the shaft on the outer ends of the boomarms cooperating with means on said jack shaft for rotating said chainon the digger element, hydraulic means carried by the frame operablefrom said tractor and having connection with one of the boom arms forlowering said digger element to the ensilage for moving the same to saidpan where the auger moves it to said opening in said blower housing.

2. Apparatus for picking up ensilage from an open trench or the likeoperable from the power take-off of a tractor comprising, a mobile framehaving spaced standards thereon, a blower housing having an opening inthe front side carried by the frame, a spout connected to said blowerhousing, a pan having a bottom and an open front, a shaft in said pan,an anger mounted on said shaft,said auger having longitudinal finspassing closely to said opening in the blower housing when the anger isrotated and having oppositely facing spiral blades thereon to direct theensilage to said fins, a jack shaft carried by the upper end of saidplate and said bracket, chain and sprocket means connected to the jackshaft and to said auger shaft for rotating said auger, a tubular memberrotatably mounted on the upper ends of said uprights, a boom framehaving side arms attached to said tubular member, a digger elementrigidly attached for rotating said jack shaft, means on said tubularmember having'connection with means on the jack shaft for rotating saidchain on the digger element, hydraulic means carried by the frame havingconnection with one of the boom arms for lowering said digger element tothe ensilag'e for moving the same to said pan where the auger moves itto said blower.

3. Apparatus for picking up ensilage from an open trench or the likeoperable from the power take-off of a tractor comprising, a mobile framehaving spaced standards thereon, a blower housing having an opening inthe front side carried by the frame, a spout connected to said blowerhousing, a pan having a bottom and an open front, a shaft in said pan,an auger mounted on said shaft, said auger having longitudinal finspassing closely to said opening in the blower housing whenthe anger isrotated and having oppositely facing spiral blades thereon to direct theensilage to said fins, a jack shaft carried by the upper end of saidplate and said brac ket, chain and sprocket means connected to the jackshaft and to said auger shaft for rotating said auger, a tubular memberrotatably mounted on-th'e upper ends of said uprights, a boom framehaving side arms attached to said tubular member, a digger elementrigidly attached to said arms, said boom including substantiallyV-shaped spaced arms'on its outer end, said digger element includinsprockets and chains and having slats secured thereto having spacedknives, said chains and slats being rotatable around said v shaped arms,certain of said kn'i'ves on the slats being curved in a direction oftravel toward said auger and certain of the knives on the slats beingcurvediaterauy to said other knives, the tater-ally curved knives phoneslat being turned in the opposite direction to the laterally curvedknives on the next adjacent slat, a main drive shaft carried by theframe extending into said blower housing, a fan on said end .of saidshaft, a shaft on said frame having driving connection with the tractor,means on said jack shaft having connection with the -last-named shaftfor rotating said jack shaft, means on said tubular member havingconnection with means on the jack shaft for rotating said chain on thedigger element, hydraulic means carried by the frame having connectionwith one of the boom arms for lowering said digger element to theensil'age for moving the same to said pan where the auger moves it tosaid blower.

4. In apparatus for picking up ensilage from a pile and depositing thesame in a truck operable from the power take-off of a tractor or thelike, said apparatus having a mobile frame with spaced standards and apan thereon, means for raising and lowering said boom, and drive meanscarried by said frame and cooperating with the shaft on the spaced armsof said boom and operable from the tractor for rotating the last-namedshaft to cause the chains to rotate around said V-shaped arms so thatthe knives will engage and loosen said ensilage and move it to said pan.

5. In apparatus for picking up ensilage from a trench and depositing thesame in a truck or the like operable from the power take-off of atractor, said apparatus having a mobile frame with spaced standards anda pan having a center delivery auger therein and a blower in ensilagereceiving position relative to the auger and having a delivery chute, adigger element including a boom rotatably mounted on said standards,said boom including spaced arms, a cross bar rigidly mounted on theouter end of the arms, substantially V-shaped arms rigidly mounted onsaid cross bar, adjustable spaced guides carried by the V-sha-ped arms,a shaft carried by the spaced arms on said boom, a shaft on the outerends of said v-shaped arms, sprockets and chains carried by said shafts,spaced slats on said chains having knives thereon, said chains and slatsbeing operable over said guides and around the V-shaped arms, means forraising and lowering said boom, and drive means carried by said frameand cooperating with the shaft on the spaced arms of said boom andoperable from the tractor for rotating the last-named shaft to cause thechains to rotate around the V-shaped arms so that the knives will engageand loosen said ensilage and move it to said pan.

6. In apparatus for picking up ensilage from a pile and depositing thesame in a truck or the like operable from the power take-off of atractor, said apparatus having a mobile frame with spaced standards andapan having an auger therein and a blower in ensilage receiving positionrelative to the auger and having a delivery chute,

a digger element including a boom rotatably mounted on said standards,said boom including spaced arms, a cross bar rigidly mounted on theouter end of the arms, substantially V-shaped arms rigidly mounted onsaid cross bar, spaced guides carried by the V-shaped arms, a shaftcarried by the spaced arms on said boom and having an end extendingoutside one of said arms on the boom, a shaft on the outer ends of saidV-shaped arms, spaced sprockets and chains carried by said shafts,spaced slats on said chains having knives thereon, means for raising andlowering said boom, and drive means carried by said frame andcooperating with means on said end of the shaft on the spaced arms ofsaid boom and operable from the tractor for rotating the last-namedshaft to cause the chains to rotate around the V-shaped arms so that theknives will engage and loosen said ensilage and move it to said pan whenthe boom is lowered into the ensilage.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

